recent study published in the journal Hypertension Research is one of many to have established a link between visceral abdominal fat and coronary heart disease.  The usual suspects are to blame – too much pastry and not enough panting. Genetics plays a

making you feel bloated, eating too much of any food can have a damaging effect on your intestines, causing bloating, abdominal pain or diarrhoea.Aim for 800-1000 calories of high- carbohydrate, low-fat, moderate-protein food, like pasta, rice or baked

strengthens muscles along the back of your body – lower back, hamstrings and calves," says Dr Tom Coniglione, a keen runner. "So when cross-training, pick activities that will strengthen muscles along the front of the body – such as abdominals, and those

. "One of the biggest problems is abdominal obesity, which the BMI doesn't take into account. Stomach fat, leading to a big waistline, is usually the killer." In a US study that involved more than 17,000 obese Americans, the worst combination

paceDo five chin-upsComplete 40 abdominal crunchesPerform 20 push-upsDo 20 fast body-weight squatsComplete 20 squat thrusts with jumps (burpees)Run 3/4 mile at 10K pacePerform 12 press-ups with your feet elevatedPerform 40 lower-back extensions

quadriceps and hamstrings) are both included in your programme. Training these muscles can improve your performance and also lessen the risk of knee injury. And don’t forget the abdominals; they form a crucial link between the upper and lower body.If you

musculature. You need upper body strength to balance your hip rotation, and strong back and abdominal muscles to provide a framework for the thigh muscles to pull on.Circuit training is preferred by many distance runners, using light weights and a variety

, because I'm not running, I'm doing more legwork than usual, along with some abdominal and upper body stuff.The gain: You'll burn calories and maintain overall fitness and muscle tone.7. Stay connected For me, one of the worst aspects of being injured

of the exercises into your post-run stretches. A simple Pilates routine will include stretching your muscles, articulating your spine and working your core abdominals, so it's ideal for post-running. You would need to do a class or get tuition to learn

surgery will be weak. Start with abdominal contractions, just holding the muscle tight. Then add some pelvic tilts and small inner range curls - knees bent up, then try and slowly start to straighten one leg, bring it back, then repeat with the other leg